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Ethical Decision Making in a Peer-to-Peer File Sharing Situation: The Role of Moral Absolutes and Social Consensus

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  • Connie Bateman
  • Sean Valentine
  • Terri Rittenburg

Abstract

Individuals are downloading copyrighted materials at escalating rates (Hill 2007 ; Siwek 2007 ). Since most materials shared within these networks are copyrighted works, providing, exchanging, or downloading files is considered to be piracy and a violation of intellectual property rights (Shang et al. 2008 ). Previous research indicates that personal moral philosophies rooted in moral absolutism together with social context may impact decision making in ethical dilemmas; however, it is yet unclear which motivations and norms contextually impact moral awareness in a peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing context (Shang et al. 2008 ). In sum, factors affecting the decision to share copyrighted material require further clarification and investigation (Shang et al. 2008 ). The purpose of this study was to use a consumer-based scenario and multiple ethics measures to explore how idealism, formalism, and perceived social consensus impact users’ propensity to recognize that the sharing of copyrighted media through P2P networks was an ethical issue and their subsequent ethical intentions. Results showed that high levels of idealism and formalism were associated with an increased recognition that file sharing was an ethical issue, but neither construct had a direct effect on ethical intention. Strong social consensus among respondents that other people consider file sharing to be unethical was also positively related to the recognition that file sharing was an ethical issue, and ethical recognition was a moderate predictor of intention not to engage in file sharing. Finally, a post hoc mediation analysis indicated that idealism, formalism, and social consensus operated through recognition of an ethical issue to impact ethical intention (indirect-only mediation). Copyright Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2013

Suggested Citation

  • Connie Bateman & Sean Valentine & Terri Rittenburg, 2013. "Ethical Decision Making in a Peer-to-Peer File Sharing Situation: The Role of Moral Absolutes and Social Consensus," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 115(2), pages 229-240, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:115:y:2013:i:2:p:229-240
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-012-1388-1
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    2. Wojciech Hardy & Michał Krawczyk & Joanna Tyrowicz, 2013. "Why is online piracy ethically different from theft? A vignette experiment," Working Papers 2013-24, Faculty of Economic Sciences, University of Warsaw.
    3. Chan, Christopher & Ananthram, Subramaniam & Thaker, Keyur & Liu, Yi, 2022. "Do religiosity and ethical principles influence ethical decision-making in a multi-faith context? Evidence from India," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 772-785.
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    7. Evelyne Rousselet & Bérangère Brial & Romain Cadario & Amina Béji-Bécheur, 2020. "Moral Intensity, Issue Characteristics, and Ethical Issue Recognition in Sales Situations," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 163(2), pages 347-363, May.
    8. Michal Krawczyk & Joanna Tyrowicz & Wojciech Hardy, 2020. "Online and physical appropriation: evidence from a vignette experiment on copyright infringement," Behaviour and Information Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(4), pages 481-496, April.
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